Grate



Sept. 30, 1941. A. GAUL, JR

GRATE A 7' TORNEY Filed Sept. 10, 1937 Patented Sept. 30, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GRATE Andrew Gaul, Jr., Slingerlands, N. Y.

Application September 10, 1937, Serial No. 163,267

4 Claims. 126-168) My invention relates to grates, and particularly to improvements in grates of the general type described in my Letters Patent No. 1,851,425, of March 29, 1932. l

In the burning of bituminous coals or the finer sizesof anthracite, especially where a high rate of combustion is maintained and the air is fed otherwise than very intensively through closely spaced openings in the grate, as for example in locomotives and high pressure type boilers using comparatively thick grate bars, the coal burns into either a spongy cohesive ash bed or a clinker which is difficult if not practically impossible to remove by any ordinary shaking operation of present type grates. by opening the grate sections and forcing or pounding the clinkers and ashes through the openings between the grate bars with the rake or hoe, or by pulling the clinkers and ashes through the fire door. 1 l

. Grate sections of the type herein contemplated may be cast as integral units, but are more easily manufactured by casting the supporting bars and fins separately; the fins being cast with spaced projections on one side thereof, positioned some- The fires are cleaned either 5 what below the top surface of the fin, and which contact the side of the next adjacent fin and serve to maintain the fins in spaced relation when assembled on the bar. a

In order to provide adequate strength, the supporting bar should be comparatively deep, and furthermore, in order that it does not unduly obstruct the air flow past the top edges of the fin, it should either pass through openings in the fins Which are positioned as near the bottom thereof as possible, or be cast integral with the lower zones of the fins; It will be apparent that, where the supporting bar is thus associated with the lower zones of the fins and the ends of this bar are extended to form trunnions cooperating with the side supports, the grate section, when turned on the trunnions, instead of rising substantially into the ash bed above and breaking it up, tends, more or less, merely to fall away from the bottom of the ash bed depending, in degree, upon, the vertical distance of the trunnion axis below the top or fuel supporting surface of the section,

I find that a substantial improvement in the cleaning of the fire can be attained by placing the supporting trunnions at each end of the grate section near the level of the upper grate surface and either centrally of the grate section or at one side thereof. Thus, when the grate section is turned on the trunnions, at least one-half of the the section), is thrust upwardly into the ash bed and serves to break it up. 1 By, so designing the shaking arrangement that the grate sections may be rotated approximately in one direction from their normal position the maximum advantages are obtained.

A further object of my invention is to provide a shaking means for simultaneously projecting or rotating the various grate sections upwardly, and preferably through an angle of substantially 90. In this way the fins break up the ash bed, scrape or comb clinkers and ashes from beneath the burning fire, andremove the same therefrom without permitting any appreciable loss of live fire to the ash pans.

Another object of my invention, in its preferred form, is to provide separate grate parts of the general type hereinafter described which may be quickly and cheaply assembled to form grate sections of any desired length thus eliminating a multiplicity of patterns which would otherwise be necessary. By casting the supporting bars to any convenient length and utilizing trunnions on end elements which may be slipped over the ends of the supporting bar after the fins are assembled thereon, it is merely necessary to cut the supporting bar to the proper length, place the fins thereon, and slip the end elements over the supporting bar to form a complete grate section.

Although the shaking arm may obviously be cast integral Withone of the end elements, another object is to provide, in its preferred form, a grate of the type hereinafter described in which the shaking arm may be a separate element and hence may be positioned at any point along the supporting bar, thus making itvery simple to align the shaking arms with existing shaking levers where my grate replaces an existing grate.

Where a grate section comprises a large number of separate, comparatively thin fins which are assembled on a supporting bar and which have bosses or projectionscast thereon to maintain said fins in spaced relation, it will be apparent that these bosses must be cast very accurately to depth or height. In a grate section comprising separate fins, if the bosses at the bottom of thefins are only 4 longer or shorter than they should be so that they lie only either side of a vertical plane through ends of thebosses at the top, the result will be cumulative, and the grate section will be one inchlonger or shorter at the bottom than it is at the top.

While it is extremely difficult toeliminate entirely some slightvariation in length between the top and bottom of the grate sections, a further object of my invention is to provide a fin having spacing bosses cast integral therewith which may be made very accurately to the proper height ordepth.

' With these objects in view, my invention includes the novel elements and the combinations and arrangements thereof described below and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which- V e Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partially in cross section, of a single grate section;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a fin;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of a fin;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of an end element;

I U are cast integral therewith and serve to maintain the end element in spaced relation to the next adjacent fin. An opening I5 is cast in the end element to receive the end of the bar9, and a recess I6 is also preferably, but not necessarily, cast in the end element. A supporting trunnion I1 is also cast on the end element near the top thereof and may be positioned centrally of the end element, as shown in Figs. 4, 5, 8, 9 and 10, or on the shaker-arm side of the center, as shown at I8 in Fig. 11-, depending upon the extent to which it is desired to project the grate sections into the ash bed in the shaking operation. Ex-

Fig. 5 is an end elevation, partially ,in section and with portions broken away, of theend ele-.

ment shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an end view of the supporting bar;

Fig. 7 is 'a fragmentary longitudinal section of the supporting bar at the end;

3 Fig. 8' is a fragmentary perspective view of a grate, with parts broken away, showing the/side supports with a grate section mounted therein;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary end elevation of three assembled; grate sections illustrating the shaking arrangement;

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 showing the three grate sections rotated 90 about the supporting trunnions;

Fig-11 is a small scale side elevation of a modified form of end element showing the supporting trunnion positioned near one edge thereof;

'Fig. 12 is aside elevation of a detail; and

Fig. 13 an end view of the detail shown in Fig. 12. I 7

Referring to the drawing, I represents my fin cept for the fact that the bosses I3 and I4 are 7 omitted, the end element I9 (see Fig. 1) is identical: with the end element I0. 2! is a shaking arm which may be cast as part of one of the end elements but which I prefer to make separate so having spacing bosses 2 and 3 cast integral therewith. While his to be understood that'my invention is not limited to any particular size of fin, I have found in practice that if they are made about 6" long at the top and about 3 deep, the results are very satisfactory. The fins, at the top, are made comparativelythin, preferably from about A;" to V in thickness, and tapering t as thin an edge at the bottom as itis possible to cast in order-t0 provide for thefree fallof ashes between the separate fins. -By reference to Fig. 3, it will be noted that the side 4 o'fthe fin is perpendicular tothe plane} of the top and that all of the taper is provided in the side 6 from which the bosses project. In other words; the plane 1 passing through the face of the bosses 2 and 3 is parallel to the side 4 of the fin. I consider this an important'feature of my invention and to be the very best form in which the fins and bosses can be cast. Openings Bare provided in the fins and through which passes the supporting bar 9. It is desirable that the supporting bar pass through the fin as close tothe bottorn as is practicable in order to provide an unobstructed flow of air all along thesides of the finin the upper zones thereof. Likewise, the bosses 2' should be positioned well down from the top edge or surface 5' of the fin for the same reason. These details are very important and should be carefully observed to prevent burning of the upper edges of the fins.

In Figs. 1, 4 and'5, I have illustrated an end element I0 whichforms a part of my invention. This is preferably, but not necessarily, 'castto the samegeneral contour as the fins I but may be. about to'%" thick with the sides III and I2 parallel. *Bosses I3 and I4 having their faces parallel-tothe side II and lz of the end element that it can be positioned anywhere between the end elements If! and I9. This element has an opening cast therein-similar-to the openings 8 inthe fins and through which passes the supporting bar 9; s v c In assembling my grate, the bar 9 'is cast or cut to the desired length, a .slot 2I is formed therein, and the end of the bar is drilledand tapped as-shown at 22 in Figs: 6 andi'l. One of the end elements may then be secured to the supporting bar by slipping it over the end thereof and securing it by means of the plate 23 having the opening 24 therein and which is adapted to be received within the recess I6 in the end element It is secured in place by means of a screw 25. The fins I are then assembled on the bar 9 and the shaker arm element 20 is placed in its proper position in the fin assembly. The other end element maythen be secured'to the bar in the manner described above so that the' end elements secure the fins, bar and shaker arm' in assembled relation.

V In order, duringthe shaking operation, to raise a substantial portion of the grate above the nor rnal level surface thereof whereby to breakup any clinker formation, the shaker arms 26 are positionedat an angle of approximately 45 toa vertical plane through the axisof the trunnions, as shown in Fig. 1, and all ofthe shaker arms 26 may be pivotally'co nnected to a shaking link 2T. This, combined with the positioning of thetrun nions I'I near the upper surface of the grate'section will throw the edges 28 of the grate sections a substantial distance upwardly, into the ash bed, as shown in Fig. 10.

It is universally recognized that one of the outstanding difiiculties encountered in-the operation of locomotives equipped with any of the present type gratesis the tendency'of the exhaust, under certain conditions, t tear holes'in the fire. locomotive slipon the rails or when the locomotive is operating-under maximum cut-off.

Due to the fact that the air fiowsj uniformly in such fine, thin, closely-spaced streams through my entire grate; actual tests in locomotives have indicated that it ispractically impossible to tear the fire. Furthermore, with my grate it is possible to obtain a clean fire anytime by shaking alone so that it is not necessary to send the locomotive as often to the ash pits for cleaning, as

This happens where the wheels of the tending entirely around said bar and disposed thereon in closely spaced relation to each other whereby to provide a large surface area for air cooling said fins and bar and to adapt said grate,

to burn the finer sizes of coal without material loss by falling through the spaces between said fins, end trunnions on each of said sections, supports for said trunnions, and means for rotating said sections approximately 90 in one direction about the axis of said trunnions; the width of said fins in the top plane of the grate being appreciably greater than the depth thereof, whereby to provide comparatively wide clear spaces between said sections, when rotated, for the free discharge of ashes therethrough.

2. A grate for use in a railroad locomotive and comprising at least two closely spaced transverse sections, each of said sections comprising a bar having a multiplicity of thin but deep fins extending entirely around said bar and disposed thereon in closely spaced relation to each other whereby to provide a large surface area for air cooling said fins and bar and to adapt said grate to burn the finer sizes of coal without material loss by falling through the spaces between said fins, end trunnions on each of said sections, supports for said trunnions, a shaker arm connected to each section and depending therefrom at a substantial angle to the vertical, and a link pivotally connecting said arms; the angular disposition of said shaker arms to the vertical being such as to permit said sections to be rotated together on said trunnions in one direction through an angle substantially in excess of 45 without bringing said arms and link in alignment, and the width of said sections at the top being appreciably greater than their depth whereby to provide comparatively wide clear spaces between said sections, when so rotated, for the free fall of ashes therethrough.

3. A grate for use in a railroad locomotive and comprising at least two closely spaced transverse sections, each of said sections comprising a bar having a multiplicity of thin but deep fins extending entirely around said bar and disposed thereon in closely spaced relation to each other whereby to provide a large surface area for air cooling said fins and bar and to adapt said grate to burn the finer sizes of coal without material loss by falling through the spaces between said fins, end trunnions on each of said sections, supports for said trunnions, a shaker arm connected to each section and depending therefrom at an angle of about to the vertical, and a link pivotally connecting said arms, whereby said sections may be rotated together in one. direction through an angle of the order of without bringing said arms in alignment with said link; and the width of said sections at the top being appreciably greater than their depth whereby to provide comparatively wide clear spaces between said sections, when so rotated, for the free fall of ashes therethrough.

4. A grate section for use in a railroad locomotive comprising a bar, having a multiplicity of comparatively thin, but deep fins extending entirely around said bar and disposed thereon in closely spaced relation to each other whereby to: provide a large surface area of metal in proportion to the volume thereof for facilitating the cooling of said fins and bar and to provide a multiplicity of closely spaced air spaces between said fins of a width adapted to prevent substantial loss of fine coal by falling therethrough; each of said fins being provided with a hole therein spaced substantially from the top and in close proximity to the bottom thereof for the passage of said bar, and with projections on one side only spaced substantially from the top of the fin and also laterally from said bar and cooperating with the next adjacent fin to maintain said fins in spaced relation; whereby said bar is positioned relatively remote from the fuel bed to prevent warping, and the upper edges of said fins and those portions of said fins adjacent thereto are free throughout of projections tending to prevent the substantially uniform flow of cooling air past all portions of said edges to prevent the burning thereof; the width of said fins being substantially in excess of the depth thereof, whereby adjacent sections of said grate normally disposed in edgeto-edge relation will be substantially separated if rotated together about their respective axes through an angle of the order of 90.

ANDREW GAUL, JR. 

